Norifumi Yamamoto Youtube Videos
Norifumi Yamamoto Bio
Norifumi Okabe (山本徳郁, Yamamoto Norifumi, born March 15, 1977) best known as Kid Yamamoto is a Japanese mixed martial artist and kickboxer. He is associated with Purebred Tokyo and Krazy Bee. He quickly gained popularity in the Shooto organization due to his aggressive, well-rounded style and controversial persona. He moved on to K-1 HERO'S, where he won the Middleweight tournament in December, 2005 after defeating Genki Sudo via a controversial TKO due to punches.
KID comes from a wrestling family with his father Ikuei Yamamoto representing Japan at the 1972 Olympic games in Munich and his sisters Miyu and Seiko both winning world championships in freestyle wrestling. KID received his education in the United States and wrestled at Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe, Arizona, capturing three state championships (with a third place finish as a freshman). He also trained briefly under Choi Mu Bae[1].
Yamamoto's natural weight is 143 pounds. Though most mixed martial artists his size compete in the bantamweight division (135lbs), many of his most significant fights have been in the lightweight division (155lbs) as it was the lightest division in Hero's.
Now competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Yamamoto is fighting in the bantamweight division (135lbs) which is closer to his natural weight.
Mixed martial arts career
Background
While he was still wrestling at school KID got into an incident with the Yakuza. The incident occurred when KID accidentally shot a Yakuza in the face with an air gun. The Yakuza tracked where KID was living through his license plate but KID managed to escape by jumping off a balcony. However, during this time KID's sister was married to famous MMA fighter Enson Inoue who had connections with most Yakuza families. Inoue managed to find out what family KID was in trouble with to sort out the problem. After this KID's school did not want the incident to become public since many major companies have Yakuza ties so KID was expelled from school. The Japan Wrestling Association who also have ties with the Yakuza put KID's wrestling training on probation. Without wrestling, Inoue decided to take care of KID and try him out in training for MMA in the mean time to compete in Shooto. KID decided not to go back into wrestling and a year later he won the All Japan Amateur Shooto Tournament.
Shooto
Yamamoto made his professional Mixed Martial Arts debut on March 2, 2001 against Masato Shiozawa at Shooto - To The Top 2, where he won this fight by unanimous decision. KID would go on to win his next two fights both by TKO in the first round.
During this time Yamamoto faced future Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Josh Thompson in Honolulu, Hawaii at Shogun 1. Yamamoto dominated Thompson with takedowns and strikes but unfortunately caught an accidental kick to the groin 3 minutes into round 2 in which was then later ruled as a No Contest.
On May 5, 2002, KID suffered his first loss by TKO to Stephen Palling. KID received a cut as he went for a double-leg takedown. KID shot in and Palling countered with a knee, opening a huge cut to KID's face. KID then slammed Palling. However, blood began pouring out of Yamamoto's cut and the referee stopped the fight. The doctors determined that KID was unable to continue and Stephen Palling was declared the winner.
KID would then go on to win his next three fights by TKO and Decision over Tetsuo Katsuta, Jeff Curran and Caleb Mitchell.
HERO's
Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto made his K-1 HERO's debut on April 7, 2004 at the K-1 World MAX 2004 World Tournament Open where he made the Lightweight division take notice by choking out Tony Valente only 58 seconds into the fight. Yamamoto rose in popularity as he would go on to defeat Kazuya Yasuhiro, Jadamba Narantungalag and an intense bout with Ian James Schaffa by TKO or Submission in exciting fashion within the next twelve months.
Merely one year after his HERO's debut, Yamamoto would write his name into HERO's history where he defeated (and finished) three very highly regarded fighters Royler Gracie, Caol Uno and a controversial bout with Genki Sudo to win the 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix. He went on to win his fight against Istvan Majoros by TKO half way through round 1.
4-second Knockout
On May 3, 2006 Yamamoto made Mixed Martial Arts history when he knocked out Kazuyuki Miyata four seconds into the fight, making it the shortest fight in HERO's and the fastest knockout in a major MMA Promotion. The knockout was a flying knee seconds after the bell had sounded, that connected with Miyata's head. As of December 24th, 2011, Duane Ludwig tied the record for fastest KO in a major MMA organization with his win over Jonathan Goulet.
Olympic Freestyle Wrestling
In early 2007, Yamamoto announced an indefinite leave of absence from MMA to go back to his roots and train for and compete in freestyle wrestling for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He had hoped to win the Olympic Gold medal for freestyle wrestling ever since he was a child, as his father Ikuei Yamamoto represented Japan in the 1972 Olympic games in Munich. Yamamoto opened up the day with an impressive victory over Japanese Self Defense Forces member Akihiro Tsuchida. Yamamoto looked nimble and explosive against Tsuchida, who took third in the 132-pound freestyle class at last year's Emperor's Cup. However disaster struck in the semifinals when the first move of the match, an arm-whip takedown by 2004 Athens Bronze Medalist Kenji Inoue, left Yamamoto with a dislocated right elbow, and consequently prone for the easy pinfall. With this injury, KID would have no choice but to leave his hopes of competing in the Olympic Games and return to Mixed Martial Arts.
Return to HERO's
Yamamoto would return to Mixed Martial Arts on September 17, 2007 against future Dream Featherweight Champion Bibiano Fernandes at K-1 Hero's 10. Yamamoto went on to win his first fight by decision (Unanimous) in Hero's. At K-1 HERO's Dynamite!! 2007 on December 31 Yamamoto faced submission expert Abu Dhabi Combat Club Champion and a top WEC contender Rani Yahya at a weight of 135lbs [2]. Yamamoto won in the second round via TKO due to soccer and ground kicks.
DREAM
In February 2008, it was announced by Fighting and Entertainment Group, the parent entity behind kickboxing organization K-1 and mixed martial arts organization Hero's, that they would be producing a new MMA promotion titled Dream alongside former Pride executives from Dream Stage Entertainment that will succeed and will replace FEG's previous-run mixed martial arts fight series, Hero's. Norifumi Yamamoto was one of the many former Pride and HERO's fighters that were named to compete in this new promotion.[3].
It was announced that KID would make his Dream debut at Dream 5 against Joseph Benavidez, however the bout was abruptly called off a mere three days prior to its scheduled date due to a knee injury suffered by KID.
Yamamoto announced his participation in the Dream Featherweight Grandprix which begun at Dream.7 and (due to an injury) was seeded into the second round of the Feather Weight Grand Prix at Dream.9 on May 26. Facing off against inexperienced Joe Warren in what would be his return after a 15 month lay off. Yamamoto landed several clean shots with counter hooks on the feet, stunning Warren & was effective with hard knees in the clinch, Warren did however, show his Greco-Roman wrestling pedigree, executing three takedowns and maintaining top position for long periods of the fight. Yamamoto was defeated by Warren via a split decision. However during this time Yamamoto was going through a divorce with his wife.
Yamamoto lost to SRC Featherweight Champion Masanori Kanehara via unanimous decision at Dynamite!! 2009 on New Year's Eve.
Yamamoto was expected to make his Strikeforce debut against Team Quest member Federico Lopez at Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery, but was later pulled out by DREAM and fought at Dream 14 against Lopez instead. Yamamoto defeated Lopez via TKO (Punches) claiming his first victory after his last two consecutive upset losses. In preparation for the fight Yamamoto decided to "reinvent" himself to the point that he lived and trained in Okinawa under former WBA Light Welterweight Champion Akinobu Hiranaka.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Yamamoto made his UFC debut against Demetrious Johnson, losing the fight via unanimous decision at UFC 126.
Yamamoto was expected to face Chris Cariaso on May 28, 2011 at UFC 130. However, Yamamoto was forced out of the bout with an injury and replaced by Michael McDonald.
Yamamoto was expected to face Damacio Page on September 24, 2011 at UFC 135. However, the bout was scrapped on September 1 after both fighters sustained injuries while training for the bout. He then fought Darren Uyenoyama at UFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos. Despite landing several punches, including a knockdown in the second round, Yamamoto lost via unanimous decision after getting controlled for the majority of the fight.
Yamamoto faced Vaughan Lee on February 26, 2012 at UFC 144. He lost the fight in the first round via submission due to an armbar.
Kickboxing career
Yamamoto faced Masato at K-1 Premium 2004 Dynamite!! in a highly anticipated match up under K-1 Rules, and lost via Decision. KID then faced Mike Zambidis at the K-1 World Max 2005 tournament, he would also lose this bout by KO early into the third round. On July 13, 2009, Yamamoto was defeated by Korean Kickboxer Jae Hee Cheon via KO at K-1 World MAX 2009 World Championship Tournament Final 8. He is now 1-3 under K-1 Rules.
Personal life
Norfumi Yamamoto went through a divorce with his wife in 2009 and has three children; two boys and one girl. His wife at the time was Japanese female fashion model MALIA (マリア,新保真里有).
Championships and accomplishments
Mixed martial arts
- K-1 HERO's
- K-1 HERO's 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament Winner
- Fastest Recorded Knockout (0:04)
- MMAFighting
- 2005 Featherweight Fighter of the Year
- Shooto
- All Japan Amateur Shooto Tournament Winner
Amateur wrestling
- Japan Wrestling Federation
- All-Japan Emperor's Cup Senior Freestyle National Championship 4th Place (2007)
- All-Japan Emperor's Cup Senior Freestyle National Championship Runner-up (1999)
- Arizona Interscholastic Association
- AIA High School State Championship (1995, 1996, 1997)
- AIA High School State Championship 3rd Place (1994)
- Scholastic Career Record: 112-4 (1993-1997)
Mixed martial arts record
Kickboxing record
External links
- Official blog
- Official UFC Profile
- Professional MMA record for Norifumi Yamamoto from Sherdog
- K-1 Profile
- DREAM Profile
MMA Shirts
